Jay Carney Explains the American Dream, Obama Style

What is the character of the American people? What sort of morals have we been known for since this country began to etch out it’s position on the planet and then come to nearly dominate it economically? Americans of previous generations prided themselves on their work ethic, ingenuity and self-determination. Today, that has been replaced with Dr. Spock’s follow your own bliss mantra.

When that path leads to unemployment or misery, Obama would have Americans believe, poor choices were not at the root. It was simply a system biased against those who are not driven to cater to the demands of society. Equalizing the playing field in their favor would give the downtrodden the same opportunities to “find themselves” as the wealthy appear to have. Obviously those individuals did not become wealthy by working hard or understanding the nature of supply and demand. They simply followed their dreams and became rich.

The problem with following a dream is that someone has to fund it. Increasingly, many Americans want to do what is pleasant rather than what is profitable and often difficult. This would be perfectly fine if they did not expect others to pay for their bliss. There is something to be said for pursuing something for its own sake, but the sane individual understands that those pursuits need to come with a paycheck, profits, donations or investments.

Earlier this week, White House press secretary, Jay Carney praised the benefits of the Affordable Care Act, “As a part of this new day in health care, Americans would no longer be trapped in a job just to provide coverage for their families, and would have the opportunity to pursue their dreams.”

Carney has taken the conversation beyond helping the less fortunate to get by and painted a picture where selfish bliss is the measure for the value of life. Happiness does not come from earning something, but from following basketball dreams and record deals. Why should it be left to the Hiltons and the Trumps rest on their laurels and simply follow their dreams? Surely that is how they have accomplished so much.

Individuals no longer need to appeal to their communities when they hit rock bottom because far away in the Federal City, there is a wizard who has devised a cunning plot. He knows the bliss of his followers must be funded and he places that burden on those he has disdained all of his life: the wealthy.

So, it is completely understandable that the president’s policies are not about growing wealth even in those he purports to help. If that were the case, he would not be encouraging the poor to work less since work is how one obtains wealth.

Like the advice from Poor Richard’s Almanack says, “…Idleness taxes many of us much more, if we reckon all that is spent in absolute sloth, or doing of nothing, with that which is spent in idle employments or amusements, that amount to nothing.”

There are also many Americans who are very hardworking and still poor. There are reasons for this. Broken homes, poor ethics, lack of industry, and lack of community are often at the heart of the chronically impoverished neighborhood. Obama’s policies have only increased these problems.

When challenged about his support of marriage and the family on the Bill O’Reilly Show this past Super Bowl Sunday, President Obama assured Bill and America that he had spoken about these issues in at least ten speeches. I am curious if you remember them, because I can’t.

President Obama and those in his party have no clue how to bring this nation back to greatness because they don’t even understand the country that they preside over. They lack the knowledge of how it became great in the first place. This idea that succeeding in America and working hard are somehow disconnected is proof of that fact.